December 28, 2015

Feast of the Holy InnocentsMt 2: 13-18

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”

Flee to Egypt

What? Where? Why? But we just…The baby was just…how can we…? Joseph must have been fraught with so many questions. What a conversation must have occurred in that dream. Joseph responded with resolute purpose in confidence that the angel of the Lord was true. Herod must have been overwhelmed with fear that he would lose his empire to this child. Joseph was overwhelmed with the assurance that the will of the Lord be done. The experiences that Joseph already had led him to extraordinary trust in the message in the dream.

Have my experiences invited me to trust? Will this trust overwhelm my fears? Watching and praying with local and global events of violence can lead to despair. Beg the Father to help overwhelm the fear and respond with confidence for His joy and mercy. May we be filled with invitations to act with Peace.

Prayer

O God, the Holy Innocents offered you praise by the death they suffered for Christ.May our lives bear witness to the faith we profess with our lips. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

—Liturgical prayer for the feast of the Holy Innocents

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December 28, 2015

Feast of the Holy InnocentsMt 2: 13-18

Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”

Flee to Egypt

What? Where? Why? But we just…The baby was just…how can we…? Joseph must have been fraught with so many questions. What a conversation must have occurred in that dream. Joseph responded with resolute purpose in confidence that the angel of the Lord was true. Herod must have been overwhelmed with fear that he would lose his empire to this child. Joseph was overwhelmed with the assurance that the will of the Lord be done. The experiences that Joseph already had led him to extraordinary trust in the message in the dream.

Have my experiences invited me to trust? Will this trust overwhelm my fears? Watching and praying with local and global events of violence can lead to despair. Beg the Father to help overwhelm the fear and respond with confidence for His joy and mercy. May we be filled with invitations to act with Peace.